Rhea's conflict

Rhea's heart pounded as she clenched her fists, standing in front of her friends, their backs pressed up against the brick wall of the alley. A group of older, bigger girls loomed over them, sneering. The hopscotch spot Rhea and her friends had carefully drawn with chalk on the pavement lay behind the bullies, now stomped on and smeared.

"This is our spot!" Rhea growled, stepping forward.

One of the older girls, tall with dark hair tied in a tight ponytail, chuckled. "Your spot? We didn't see your name on it."

"You can't just take it from us!" one of Rhea's friends, Mela, shouted, though her voice quivered. She was younger, smaller, and clearly scared.

The older girls laughed, their leader stepping closer to Rhea. "Oh, we're taking it. You kids shouldn't be playing here in the first place. Go find some other place for your silly games."

Rhea's blood boiled. "We worked hard on that! It's ours! If you want go and make your own hopscoth."

Without thinking, she lunged at the girl in front of her, her fist swinging wildly. The older girl dodged effortlessly, laughing as she grabbed Rhea by the collar and shoved her to the ground.

"Stay down, little one," she taunted, her voice dripping with mockery.

Rhea's friends gasped, rushing to help her, but the other older girls stepped in, knocking them back with ease. A swift kick landed on Rhea's side, and pain shot through her ribs. She bit back a scream, pushing herself up on her elbows, but another kick sent her rolling across the pavement.

The fight had turned one-sided. Rhea and her friends were outmatched, and outnumbered. They were getting beaten up badly.

"Should've stayed in your place," the older girl sneered, her foot hovering above Rhea's face. "Now, we're gonna—"

Before she could finish, a loud crack echoed through the alley. A rock struck the side of her head, just hard enough to leave a small cut. Blood trickled down her cheeks, and she staggered back in shock.

"Who the hell—?!" she shouted, spinning around with her hand on her head.

All the girls turned to look, eyes widening. There, standing at the entrance of the alley, was Falko. He tossed another rock in his hand, his expression cold and calm.

"What…?" the leader of the bullies muttered, confused.

"Ahh~ I missed two in a row. Guess, I will have to work on my tossing," Falko made a remark, but he knew he wasn't even aiming to hit them, as it would be fatal for these girls.

Falko dropped the rock and walked toward them, a wooden stick clenched tightly in his hand. "I've been looking for a good chance to test my training," he said, a slight smirk tugging at his lips. "You girls look like a decent challenge."

Rhea, still on the ground, looked up at him, her eyes wide with both confusion and panic. "Falko… no! Go back! These girls aren't going to go easy on you just because you're a boy!"

One of the older girls snickered, her lips curling in amusement. "Aw, look at this! The little boy's come to play with us. Cute."

Falko didn't respond to their taunts. His eyes narrowed, and in one swift motion, he swung the stick, cracking it hard against the nearest girl's leg. She yelped in pain, stumbling backward.

The others blinked in shock, taken aback by how fast he moved. Before they could react, Falko struck again, delivering sharp, precise hits with his stick, each blow landing with a thud. He moved with fluid grace, dodging their wild swings and countering with swift, punishing strikes.

One by one, the older girls fell, groaning and clutching their bruises. Falko's movements were calm, calculated. His expression never changed. He was relentless, showing no mercy.

[Hmm~ they are like tutorial for you, but I guess rather easy one.]

Gamer made a remark, but the Tyrant wasn't even bothering to talk, as he found the whole scenario boring. He wanted a high stake battle for Falko, not a random street fight.

Finally, only the leader of the bullies was left standing, her face pale. She tried to back away, but Falko closed the distance between them in an instant. He stopped just inches from her face, his eyes cold. The girl's breath hitched, and her cheeks flushed with sudden fear and something strange.

"That's unfair!" she stammered, trembling. "You… you used a stick!"

Falko leaned in closer, his voice low and dangerous. "There's nothing unfair when it comes to winning," he said, his words sending a shiver down her spine. "Next time, you're allowed to use anything you can use."

Without another word, he turned away from her and walked toward Rhea, his hand outstretched. Rhea, still stunned, hesitated for a moment before taking his hand. Falko helped her to her feet, and together they left the alley, the older girls and Rhea's friends watching them with dazed, bewildered expressions.

[Ohh~ your first sub-quest is complete. But this reward, it is rather underwhelming, but you can't expect big rewards from something like this. Next time, I hope you get something big.] 

Gamer said, while Tyrant also added his thoughts.

[Reward is a reward, no matter how small it is. He should be glad he got something like this from a useless fight like this.]

Help Rhea and Beat up the bullies - Completed

Reward:- 1+ Strength

Back at their small home, Rhea sat on a stool, wincing as she touched her bruised side. Falko knelt beside her, rummaging through Brina's satchel for herbs and salves to treat her wounds. His back was turned to her, and Rhea found herself staring at him, her mind swirling with thoughts.

Falko was calm, methodical as he searched for the right remedies. He looked so different to her—so capable, so sure of himself. She hadn't noticed it before, but there was something about him that had changed.

"Why do you train so much and learn about different things?" she asked suddenly, her voice soft. "Fighting… medicine… Food...everything."

Falko didn't turn to face her, but a small smile played on his lips. "Mother taught me about medicine," he said simply. "I have my own reasons.."

Rhea's heart skipped a beat as she watched him. "You're so… good at everything," she said, her words almost a whisper. "You're handsome too. I bet you could find a noble lady who'd marry you and treat you like a prince."

Falko's smile widened slightly, and he turned toward her, holding a bundle of herbs in his hand. "A prince, huh?" he chuckled. He knelt in front of her and began applying the herbs to her wounds, his touch gentle but firm.

Rhea's eyes stayed fixed on his face, her mind still reeling. She had never really looked at him before—not like this. His blond hair fell slightly over his forehead, his long eyelashes framing his intense eyes. There was something undeniably handsome about him, something she had never bothered to notice before.

"I think I get why girls are so obsessed with you..." Rhea muttered in a hushed voice hoping Falko didn't hear, but he obviously had a smirk on his face. 

Rhea always considered herself as a sister to Falko and never thought anything else about him, but neither of them could have guessed what kind a future awaited them.

As he worked, her gaze lingered on him, her thoughts growing more muddled. How had she never seen it? How had she never noticed him like this?

Falko finished applying the herbs and sat back, meeting her gaze for the first time since they'd started talking. His expression was calm, but there was something serious in his eyes. "I have a goal," he said quietly. "A goal that I can't reach unless I become the best version of myself."

Rhea blinked, caught off guard by his sudden intensity. "A goal?" she asked softly. "What kind of goal?"

Falko looked away, his eyes distant. "One that's impossible without strength," he said, his voice almost a whisper. "It's the only thing that keeps me moving forward. No matter how tired I get."

"Mother always worry about your future since you don't see to take interest in anything in particular," He paused for a moment, then looked back at her. "But I know you, Rhea. One day, you'll have a reason to move forward, too. A reason that'll push you no matter what." His eyes darkened slightly. "I just hope… when that day comes, it won't be as grim as mine."

Rhea stared at him, her heart pounding in her chest. There was something about the way he spoke—something raw, something that scared her. Falko wasn't just an ordinary boy and Rhea quickly realized that. He was something more now—something deeper, darker.

And for the first time, Rhea wondered just how much of him she didn't know.